Illuminated free-swinging signboard



Dec. 23, 1969 v soN ET AL 3,484,973

ILLUMINATED FREESWINGING S IGNBOARD Filed Feb. 17, 1967 INVENTORS: 1ROBERT a. EVENSON BY GEORGE E. Mac-Q0010 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1969US. Cl. 40-128 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An illuminatedswinging signboard having a wind-permeable lamp housing with linkingmeans securing the housing and lamp to the signboard panel such that thelamp swings with the signboard about a horizontal pivot axis extendingin the same direction as the extent of the signboard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Outdoor signboards are subjected to windloadings. Therefore, means have been developed for supporting thesignboards to swing with the wind to dissipate much of the wind loadingobviating costly support structure. Simpler and more economicalsignboard support structures can thus be used. However, when thesignboard must be illuminated, the swinging board introduces lightingdifficulties. This difiiculty is particularly evident in highway signswhich are normally supported above the streets surface by guy wiresbetween high sidewalk posts or to the cantilever structure that suspendsoverhanging traflic control signals. Care must be taken to direct thelight to the signboard and not interfere with perception of the trafiicsignals, nor must the signboard illumination radiate directly intomotorists lines of vision.

It therefore becomes desirable to mount the illuminating lamps to movewith the signboard. However, the problem of wind loading again appearswith respect to the lamp housing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention contemplates an illuminatedfree-swinging signboard which is normally supported in a verticalorientation such that it is free to swing about a horizontal pivot axisparallel to the extent of the signboard. A lamp housing contains one ormore lamps for illuminating the signboard. Conventionally the lamps arefluorescent tubes whose length parallels the horizontal extent of thesignboard. The housing comprises in part a perforated bottom andsubstantially vertical shielding side walls which block direct lampradiation away from the signboard face. A power line extends from thelamps and lamp housing along an edge of the signboard. The power linethen extends away from the signboard to a power source on a line that isa horizontal extension of the pivot axis of the signboard to the nextpoint of line securing. Means secure the lamp housing to the signboardsuch that the housing, its lamps, and preferably the fluorescent lampballast swing with the signboard about the horizontal pivot axis.

While the illuminated signboard of the invention and the lamp andhousing component thereof are particularly adapted to illuminatingfree-swinging highway signboards, the apparatus of the invention isapplicable to many other signboard installations. Normally, conventionalfluorescent tubes of various lengths are used to illuminate thesignboard, preferably on both sides. However, it may be desirablebecause of peculiar local circumstances to use black ray or ultra-violetlight shining upon signboard indicia of a phosphorescent base.

Special fluorescent lamps in which a maior portion of the radiated lightis directed from a minor portion of the fluorescent tube periphery mayalso be utilized.

While it is preferred that the fluorescent lamp ballast be supported bythe lamp housing, it is desirable in some instances for the ballast tobe attached to a portion of the sign support structure or some othernearby support remote from the lamp housing.

Power to illuminate the lamps in the housing may be obtained in someinstances from the power supply to the trafiic signal indicators withwhich the roadway signboards are commonly associated at intersectingstreets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevationalview of a high way signboard and its support system in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 and partlybroken away;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the signboard and lamp housing of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation taken along line 55 of FIG. 3.

In the several figures like parts are identified by like referencecharacters.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a road identification signboard panel 11suspended by a conventional swivel bracket 12 from a horizontal arm 13of a traflic signal suspension system. A traflic control signal assembly14 is attached to the end of the arm. A vertical pole 15 from whichtension rods .16 extend supports the horizontal arm. As is best seen inFIG. 2, bracket 12 has a clamp 19 binding the bracket to the horizontalarm. The bracket has a lockable swivel joint 21 and a horizontal pivotpin 22. The pivot pin establishes a horizontal axis about whichsignboard panel 11 is free to swing. The pivot pin is in a clevis 23which is fastened to an elongate angle 24, fastened in turn to an upperedge 25 of the panel.

At a bottom edge 27 of the panel is a lamp housing 29. The lamp housingsupports a pair of parallel fluorescent lamps 31, 32. The lamps and thehousing extend the length of the signboard panel. The housing comprisesa perforated bottom 34 and imperforate sides 35, 36, which are adjacentthe outboard portions of the lamps. The side walls may slope outwardlyand. upwardly so as to intervene between the lamps and a motorists lineof vision, as indicated by arrows 38, 39, at various points as heapproaches the sign.

The lamp housing is fixed to the signboard by means of a pair of spacedbrackets 41, 42. Each bracket is an inverted T and has a bifurcatedupper stem 44 and lower horizontal arms 45 secured to the bottom wall ofthe lamp housing. The lamp housing is thus fixed to the signboard panelto move with the panel as it swings freely about pivot pin 22 inresponse to wind loading.

A power supply cable 48 runs from the lamp receptacles 49 outwardly fromthe housing and upwardly along an edge of the panel. Clips 51 may securethe cord to the signboard edge. A run 53 of the power line then extendsoutwardly from the signboard and may enter into horizontal arm 13 andcourse therethrough downwardly to a fluorescent lamp ballast 55, whichmay be the intermediate source of power for the lamps illuminating thesignboard.

The path of run 53 of the power line coincides with an extension of thehorizontal axis 57 of the signboard support bracket pivot pin. Thus,there is little distortion of the power line as it and the signboard andthe lamp housing swing in response to wind loadings about the horizontalaxis of pin 22.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate thepresently preferred embodiment. As in the previously describedembodiment, a conventional suspension bracket 12A suspends a signboardpanel 11 from a horizontal arm 13 which also carries a trafiic controlsignal assembly 14. The horizontal arm extends from a vertical pole 15,conventionally set in the sidewalk, and is braced by horizontal tensionrods, such as the rod 16 of FIG. 3. A lamp housing 61 is fixed to thebottom edge of signboard panel 11 by T brackets 41, 42. The housing isan upwardly opening box having vertical side walls 63, 64, vertical endwalls such as the end wall 65 of FIG. 5, and a bottom 66. Bottom 66 hasa plurality of perforations 67. The lower horizontal arms 45 of theattachment brackets extend below the bottom a Wall of the housingadjacent a perforation, secured against the exterior of the bottom wall.Therefore, there is some support of the housing should be accidentalloss of attachment means, such as the nut and bolt assemblies 69.

An upper horizotnal flange 71 surrounds the upper opening of the lamphousing. Transparent dust shrouds 73, 74 may cover the upper opening ofthe lamp housing. The lower ends of the shrouds loop about the flangeand may be secured to the housing at that point.

Lamps 31, 32 which are preferably of a special fiuorescent type are heldwithin the lamp housing in electrical receptacles 49. The special lampshave an interior coating covering approximately two-thirds of the innerperiphery. The coating is substantially reflective and thus directs agreater proportion of the illlumination from the lamps outwardly throughthe uncoated portion of the lamp periphery. Depending upon the height ofthe signboard panel, the central axis passing through the arcuatemidpoint of the uncoated area may deviate approximately degrees from thevertical axis of the lamp such that the uncoated area of the lampperiphery is directed toward the central portion of the sign panel.

Lamps manufactured by both General Electric and by Duro-Test have provedto be satisfactory. General Electric lamp No. FRCW and Duro-Test lampsNo. 3120 and No. 3127 have been successfully utilized.

The coated portions of the lamp peripheries emit a certain amount oflight. That light is emitted downwardly through the perforations in thehousing bottom to give a relatively dim downward light onto the highwayor other area directly below the sign. The interior walls of the lamphousing are coated with a light-reflecting materials, preferably whiteporcelain enamel. The light from the lamps not shining directly on thesign is in the main reflected from the reflective surfaces toward thesign to augment the illumination.

In the preferred embodiment the ballast which increases the sourcevoltage to the correct voltage for firing the lamps may be containedwithin the lamp housing. Special light-weight ballast with a largetemperature operating range are now commercially available.

Placing the ballast Within the lamp housing simplifies electricalconnection of the free-swinging signboard of the invention to existingcantilever trafiic light installations. The power line 53 may be clippedto a vertical edge of the signboard panel and thence run to the housingof the tratfic control signal along an extension of the horizontal axisof pivot pin 22.

In the preferred embodiment then, the signboard panel 11, housing 61 andthe lamps and lamp ballast swing as ,0

a unit about the horizontal pivot point to diminish the loads imposedbywind forces. Since there-is no disorientation of the lamps with respectto the sign, the illumination level of the sign does not change with itsmotion.

While the lamp housing has been shown suspended below the sign, thereare instances in which the lamp housing could be attached to the upperportion of the sign. However, for highway use such positioning tends todistribute too much light at oncoming vehicles.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, perforations 67 not only atford free passagefor wind, when the shrouds 73 are not used, but also tend toconsiderably lighten the lamp housing itself. The vertical walls 63, 64of the lamp housing are effective to reflect lamp emissions which wouldotherwise impinge themselves upon oncoming vehicles.

A lamp housing with its lamps and ballast has been developed for usewith 48-inch signboards weighing approximately twelve pounds. There isthus no appreciable additional loading upon the horizontal arm 13 of anytrafiic signal arm to which the signboard illumination assembly isadded.

The apparatus of the invention affords an efiiciently illuminatedfree-swinging signboard which may be economically added to existingcantilevered traffic light standards without imposing onerous loads uponthe existing supports. The combination of the power supply cable alignedin its run away from the sign with the horizontal axis of the pivot pinmeets the requirements of electrical safety codes with no complicatedadditional apparatus.

While only two embodiments have been shown, many variations within thescope of the invention will occur to those skilled in this particularfield of art. Therefore, we wish the invention to be measured by theappended claims rather than by the purely illustrative disclosureheretofore set forth.

What is claimed is:

1. An illuminated free-swinging sign comprising a signboard panel havingobverse and reverse normally vertical information faces, means forsupporting the signboard in normally vertical orientation so as to swingabout a horizontal pivot axis parallel to the extent of the signboardpanel, a lamp housing in the form of an elongated rectangular traymember positioned beneath and along the extent of said signboard panel,the open face of said tray disposed upwardly, longitudinally arrangedvertical divider means for said tray connected to the bottom of saidtray and integrally connected to said signboard panel, a pair ofelongate lamps in said hous ing, each lamp substantially parallel to andspaced from one face of the signboard panel, and the bottom portion ofsaid tray having openings therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 775,295 11/1904 Clark 4013O936,226 10/1909 Druar 40-130 1,000,580 8/1911 Chamberlain et al.1,117,031 11/1914 Gilchrist et al. 2,114,943 4/ 1938 Taylor 40l282,791,852 5/1957 Laskow et al. 2,965,892 12/ 1960 Langdon.

FOREIGN PATENTS 625,868 8/1961 Canada. 226,247 12/ 1924 Great Britain.

EUGENE R. cAPozIo, Primary Examiner RICHARD CARTER, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 40-130 0

